Olivier and Tony Award-winning producer David Pugh, the renowned theatre company Told by an Idiot and Theatre Royal Bath Productions present the Silent Comedy Charlie & Stan, created by Told by an Idiot, written and directed by Paul Hunter, with an original piano score played live.Â
It will open in Bath on 17 July, followed by a national tour.
Due to the actor playing Charlie Chaplin in the original production becoming pregnant, Charlie Chaplin will now be played by Danielle Bird, joining Jerone Marsh-Reid as Stan Laurel, Nick Haverson as Fred Karno and Sara Alexander playing all the other parts, including Chaplin’s mother, and the piano!
They will be joined by Reggie, making his stage debut as Scraps the Dog. Reggie will not play Sundays – something to do with Elaine Paige – and, at those performances, the part of Scraps will be played by a puppet.
Famous Belgian clown, Jos Houben, who was one of the founding members of Complicité, has been brought on board as the physical comedy consultant.
In 1910, the then unknown Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel set sail on board a tramp steamer from Liverpool to New York as part of Fred Karno’s famous music hall troupe. On the voyage, they shared a cabin, they shared comedy routines, they shared laughter, but, by the end of the journey, they hated each other… yet they would both go on to become two of the biggest stars of the age.
Inspired by real life events, Told by an Idiot’s acclaimed production of Charlie & Stan is the remarkable story of the greatest comedy double act that nearly was. With an original piano score played live at every performance, Charlie & Stan is a hilarious and deeply moving homage to two men who changed the world of comedy forever.
Told by an Idiot have garnered critical acclaim and devoted audiences worldwide for their wonderfully theatrical shows. With Charlie & Stan they have uncovered a hidden and poignant chapter of comedy history, shining an unusual light on a pair of show business legends.
Charlie & Stan is directed by Paul Hunter and designed by Ioana Curelea, with lighting design by Aideen Malone, video design by Dom Baker, original piano score by Mercury Award nominee Zoe Rahman and song arrangement by Sophie Cotton. Jos Houben is physical comedy consultant and dance choreography is by Nuna Sandy for ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company. Charlie & Stan is from an idea by Irene Cotton, with additional material from the company.
